If someone told you the path to unburdening your body and mind requires more weight, would you listen?

In Pursuit of Weightlessness is a journey through the trenches of mind-body fitness. Tom Fazio explores principles of peace, power, and enlightenment under the iron fists of Shaolin monks, high on hallucinogenic mushrooms, amid unexpected homelessness, and through random dice-dictated experiments. Along the way you’ll discover the most effective techniques to burn fat, build muscle, bulletproof the body, overcome personal challenges, and liberate your mind from all that holds you back.

This is not a mere physical training manual or a simple guide to meditation and ‘inner peace.’ This is a gritty, pragmatic prescription for living with passion. The reader will learn exactly what’s required to transform the body, unburden the mind, and become weightless.

Q: This book is quite eclectic, can you summarize the central theme?

A: Indeed it is. It covers a lot of ground, from physical transformation to Eastern philosophy. But the central premise is quite simple: In order to live what some would describe as a passion-filled life, we must unburden ourselves of the things that hold us back. In Pursuit of Weightlessness is brutally honest about the self-exploration, exposure to risk, and skin in the game required to achieve a sense of weightlessness in life.

Q: Who is this book for?

A: It’s for anyone who feels that burning desire to live life fully, but isn’t sure how to unlock it.

I think it will add unique insights for martial artists and fitness and wellness enthusiasts, as my journey and some of the stories within the book stem from my experiences in martial arts and my years as a mind-body peak performance coach in Shanghai China. But it addresses a fundamental problem that we all face, namely – How do we navigate uncertainty and volatility in life? How do we face change without it defeating us?

It just so happens that martial artists place this problem front and center, and aim to resolve it in the direst of circumstances with the highest of stakes. But we all face the problem of change daily. This is a complex problem that can only be effectively resolved with holistic solutions that address mental and physical preparedness. It isn’t about a single, grand insight. It’s about the daily practice.

Q: What can the reader expect in terms of style?

A: This book is gritty. It will inspire at times, and offend at others. If people reach the epilogue some of the devices I used in writing the book get explained a bit. But simply put, the reader can expect to feel…something.

Q: How would you describe the structure of the book?

A: In Pursuit of Weightlessness is a book in four parts. Each part addresses a central aspect of personal growth and peak performance:

Part one contains the origin story of Weightlessness Training and addresses the foundations of personal growth - discussions on self worth, goal setting and execution, and how exactly to stay the course when commitments become more challenging than imagined.

Part two delves into the art and science of body transformation – told through personal stories of client transformations from my years in Shanghai, China. It covers nutrition for health and performance, intermittent fasting, weight loss for men and women, strength gain and muscle hypertrophy, static and dynamic flexibility, rehabilitation, and skin in the game.

Part three explores mindfulness meditation for beginners, qigong, and zen philosophy. It includes personal stories (allegories) that portray atypical applications of meditation in the real world – exploring mental freedom, personal insight, ego-transcendence, and love.

The fourth part of the book contains specific Weightlessness Training protocols for those looking for practical mind-body training programs and a concrete path to change.